Sound-amplifier.



No. 889,288. PATENIIID 08T. 28. 1987. l N. BALDWIN.

SOUND AMPLIFIER. lAPPLIATION FILED JUNE 21. 1907.

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m ww. mmm\\\w kw @u mw No. 888,288. PATENTED 00T. 28. 1807.

N. BALDWIN. SOUND AMPLIFIER.'

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZL 1907.

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SOUND AMPLIFIER. APPLIoATloN FILED JUNE 21. 1901.

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fgg/Z fig@ @y I A fr0/NE /S NATHANIEL BALDWIN, F HEBER, UTAH.

soUND-AMPMFIER.

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Application sled .Tung 21. 19o?. serial No. 880.1145.

To all lwhom 'it may concern: v

Be it known that I, NATHANIEL BALDWIN, a citizen' of the United States, residing at Heber, in the county' of- Wasatch and State of Utah, have linvented a new and useful Sound-Amplifier, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to improvements in' sound amplifiers of the type wherein the ow of a` stream of Huid under pressure is"modified by and in accordance with sound waves either produced directly by the original source of sound, or through the inter mediary of a record of sounds,` or through sound pro.

duced telephonically.

The invention is applicable .as a telephone relay, whereby sounds weakly reproduced by a telephone receiver are greatly magnified or intensified or amplified and are then caused to act upon a telephonie transmitter, to be again reproduced by a suitable telephonic receiver at a distant point.

The invention is also applicable for the intensified and magnied reproduction of recorded sounds with* out appreciable loss of purity or quality of`tone and with greatly increased volume. And the invention likewise applicable for the megaphom'c production of sounds of largely. increased volume over and above the original source.

Thel invention is also adapted to the recording oi sounds by greatly augmenting the sounds, which may same be air, orsteam, .or any other suitable fluid, of f then be recorded in the ordinary manner.

The invention comprises a valve interposed in the.

path of a stream of fiuid under pressure,whetherthe which air may be taken as an example, and this valve is so mounted as to be balanced in said'air stream and thus offer no resistance except that o f itsvowninertia to the forces tending to move the valve, which forces are in the form of sound waves whether produed directly from the original source, or through the intermediary` of a sound record, or by a telephonic receiver; Infact,

the valve may be operated by adirect connection to a suitable armature placed opposite the poles of'a prop-` V erly constructed telephonic receiver, so that the direct action ofthe sound waves may be entirely' eliminated.

The invention comprises in addition .to such a balanced valve other means necessary for the adaptation of such valve to the several purposes stated, and in orderthat the invention may be fully understood these various structures be described in with reference to the accompanying drawings, forming'l a.

part of this specification, in which,- Figure 1 is a sectional view through one vation, through another form of the structurerFig. 3 is form of the,v structure; Fig. 2 is a similar section, with parts in elea somewhat different type of armure from that hai-n inl Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail view oi one` of the valves;

air `valve mechanism; Fig. 6 is a cross section through the Same; Figs. and 'safe modified forms of connection There is shown in l a structure provided means for reproducing recorded sounds with greatly enlarged volume, but the same structure may be 5 is a horizontal longitudinal section through the are modified forms of valves and valve for other purposes, as willappear 'further on. There is shown a Vcasing lhaving one end rednced and terminali-j ing in a threaded nipple 2 where there be attached apipe coming .from a source of compressed :fluid supply,V such, for instance, as a reservoir of rnpresed Whilesteam and othel` fluids under, may bev used in connection the present invention, for the sake of simplicity of description reference be made hereinafter only to compressed air', with the understanding thatsuch reference is to embrace any suitable fluid under pressure. 'Y

The casing 1 is open at the Iendremote from he nip ple and there receives another casing bi" fitting snugly int the casing l, to whichfit may be secred in any suitable manner. This casing 3. contains a 'central y chamber j4onopposite walls oi which are formed annular-ports 5.-6 and central to each of these ports another Y port 7. The annulus surrounding the port Iis supported 'by suitable triage4 pieces; is Shown in Fig. 5,. The walls 8 of the chamber 4 containing the ports, 5, 6 and 7 are. suitably iattened so that the ports lie in true'planes. That end of the casing Sfacing the nipple end of the casing l` is-open, as indicated, While the other end be- Vtween" the outer walls of the casing 3 and the chamber 4 isjclosed, `as indicated at 9 The chamber Ii-ez'dcends to a point about coincident with the open end ofthe casing 3 ami there is closed bye. wall '11, or otherwise, while the other'endj of the chamber 4 is continuedA beyond the end' wall 9 and is ultimately formed into a cylindricalneck l2 iortlie reception 0i an ampliiying horn may befofftlie ordinary type used in sound reproducing machines. [f1-l the corners of4 they chamber 4 are rounded-4iso: that there may be no sharp angles to give 'rise to hissing and other disturbing sounds.

Between the walls 8*-8of the chamber 4 isa longi tndinal deilector plate 14snitably mounted in the endf i' pesifurihe'r (in, y I

On .the innerface ofthe wall 8 through which the and i'tscoi'responding' port entend and surrounding both 'of nthese ports are formed ribs i6 terminating in wall The purpose of this 'dellector plate appractically-sharp edges, anden the outer face 0i the wall 8 through which the port 6 and its corresponding Aport 7 The disk 21 and the annulus 22 constitute the valvey faces, while the ribs 16l constitute valve seats. The disk 21 is of sucient size to cover the port 7, while the annulus 22 is of sufficient size to bridge the distance between the ribs 16 and the corresponding lport 5 or 6.

In order that the valve seats may be properly turned or machined, the several walls of the chamber 4 may be made of separate pieces, afterward soldered or brazed together or otherwise joined.

' The two valves 17 and 1,8 are mountedupon avalve rod 23 extending'centrally through the -two ports 7 and also through a small perforation in the'plate 14. This rod '23 likewise extends through small perforations 24 in the outer walls of the cylinder 3. The valve rod 23 is carried near each end exterior to lthe cylinder 3 by springs 25-25 fast at one endon the casing l.

Assuming, now, that the valves 17 and 18 are so adjusted, in a manner to be hereinafter described; thatl they are in proper relation to the ports 5, 6 and 7 and are equallydistant from those ports but actually in very close relation thereto. A" stream of air under pressure entering the casing 1 will flow through the ports 5 and 7 upon the valve 17, tending Ato force the same away from the corresponding ribs 16., At the same time the compressed air will tend to force the valve 1 8 against the ribs 16 surrounding the ports 6 and 7. There is v therefore created-a balance of pressure on these two valves and they will remain in indifferent positions with relation to the ports 5, 6'and 7 because of the equalized pressure andl their fixed connection through the -rod 23. Now, let it be assumed that the valve rod 23 is moved longitudinally in a direction to close the valves; it will be seen thatthe passage of air'through the ports'5, 6 and 7 will be throttled to an' extent commensurate `with the closure of the valves. Now, again,

suppose that the valve rod 23 is moved in a direction to move the valves away from their seats; it will, of course be seen that there is a freer passage for the air-through the ports 5, 6 and 7 During this time, the air pressure being equally distributed in a manner to tend to actuate thevalves in opposite directions, the air pressure will have no eiect whatever upon these valves to either open or close them, and,l therefore, any force acting upon therod 23 will meet no resistance except the inertia due to the weight of these valves, and this may be very small. If, now, the valve rod 23 receives impulses corresponding to sound wave vibrations, the valves 17 and 18 will participate in such vibration and will only offer such resistance as their weight may impose.

When the valves are actuated by sound vibrations phonically, a volume of sound exceeding in intensity the original produced. y s,

The casing l and casing 3 are supported upon an annulus 26, suitably shaped foi' the purpose, and this an` nulus may be carried by a ring 27 secursdto the annulu's by a set or thumb-screw 28 and provided with legs 29 .fast to a iixedstructure not shown),or it' mayy be ,seated in the carriage of a phonographic reproducing machine, as will hereinafter appear. Pivotally secured at one end to the annulus 26 is an arm 30, the other end ofwhich is provided with a perforation 31 for the pas- 26, so that the said arm may have a limited play'to and from the annulus but may not move away therefrom to too great an extent. Secured to the arm 30 is a lever 33 connected at one end by a link 34 to the corresponding end of the valverod 23, and at the other end carrying a reproducing stylus orl jewel 35 arranged in operative relation to a cylinder 36 from which the record may bel reproduced.

Securedto the casing 3 diametrically opposite the annulus 26 is abracket 37 carrying one end of a spring 38, the other end of which is attached to a ring 39 in which is-seated a diaphragm 40,'attached to the valve rod 23 by a link 4l at the end of the valve rod remote from the point o connection therewith of the linl. 34. The connection between the link 4l and rod 234 maybe a soldered connection, so-that there may be no lost motion at this point but still the rod and link maybe easily disconnected `when desired, by simply melting the solder. The diaphragm 40 is secured in the ring 39 by a follower 42 screwed into said ring, and this follower 42 is provided with a' neck 43 receiving the small end of a horn 44, similar to the horns used on chimes. v

I It it `be desired to utter sounds into the horn'44 and vhave the same greatly augmented through the horn 13, it is then only necessary to fintroduce compressed air into the casing l, when the several operations noted will be performed. If it is simply de'sirable to produce a parts connected therewith up to the valve rod 23 are then disconnected, the link 34 being easily removed from the lower end of the rod 23 into which it is simply hooked. By this means a person speaking in an ordinary tone of voice may have his speech so magnified as to be heard `at Igreat distances, far exceeding the range of au ordinary megaphone.

ln order to provide a delicate adjustment for the valves 17 and 18, the ring 39 is provided on the side opposite the spring 38 with an ear 45 through which extends a screw-threaded post 46 rising from the casing 1. Between the ear 45and the casing 1 the post 46 carries 'an adjusting nut 47 back of which is a clamp nut 48, and on` the side of the ear 45 away from the nut 47 the post 46 carries another adjusting nut 49 provided on one side with a sleeve,50 within which is a spring 51 bearing at one end against the ear 4p5and at the other end against the adjusting nut49,v -There is also provideda clamp nut 52 for the adjusting nut 49. By suitably manipusuch manner as to move the valves 17 and l8 to or from the seats formed by lthe ribs 16,r and thisadjustment greatly attenuated electric impulses received tele-.

sage of a screw 32 engaging a nut iormed' in the annulus l sound reproducing mai megaphonic effect of sounds uttered into the horn 44,. .the cylinder 36 may be omitted and the stylus 35 and lating the nuts 47 and 49 the ring 39 may be adjs'. ed-in scenes-,

g may be performed with'great delicacy, due to the large size of the 'adjustingnuts and the longleverage between the spring 38 and the ear 45. rihis isby no means the only form of adjustment that may be' used,

for other Y*adiusting means may be provided if found to -be of sufficient delicacy for the purpose.

if the -a'ir streams flowing .through the .ports 5 land 6y and their corresponding ports 7 should enter the cham'- ber 4 in opposite directions, there would be a likelihood i0 oi'interierence and the unbalancing ofthe two valves by is similar in most respects to thatshown lin Fig. 1, but

the connections' -for reproducing. recorded sounds are omitted and the amplifier 13 is also-omitted.` In the structure shown in this figure the chamber 4 communicates directly with a neclt53 carried by the casing oi a l. microphonictransmitter 54 of known construction, the y neck 53 taking the place of the ordinary mouthpiece of such microphone. There is this differencehowever,

that the neck 53 is smaller than the opening in the cap of the casing 54, so that there is an annular opening A 55 from the interior 1o the casing of the microphone 54 l to the exterior thereof, while bridge pieces 56, suitably. disposed, serve to center the neck 53 in `the opening 55.

A nut 57' serves to modi-iythe open Lendof the passage 555 as may be desired.

Now. by screwing'into the ring 39. an ordinary telef transmitter 54 be replaced by a phonographic recorder,

1 phone receiver with the cap removed therefrom and the telephone-receiver diaphragmfconnected to the rod v23 by a iink 4i, electric impulses c orresporidilzlg to sound f Waves coming over the line, .even if greatly attenuated,

wil-l'be suilicieht to actuate thevalves 17 and 28 so aste modify theair current entering the casing 3 and thus 40 cause sounds of greatly intensity to impiuge i upon the ldiaphragm' oi thetransmitter 54, Ato bethereby transmitted to .great distances. This provides a form oi .l telephone relay =o practical utility. By using a speak- Fing diaphragm 40 with cap 42 and mouthpiece 44, all as shown in Fig. 2, the instrument is adapted to' increase" the power of the telephone transmitter, and this is an:

important adaptation ofthe invention.

annulus 58 carrying a spring arm 522, radially disposed:

are not shown and need not be specifically mentioned,-

it being understood that theinvention is adapted to be used in any connection where it is desirable to augment so`unds, either as originally produced, or as transmitted Athrough the instrumentalities comprised in the invention, .or reproduced from a suitable record.

With the present invention several sound-augmentaugmented sound: from one instrumentality" may be caused to "act upon the valve of the'next one in order to'corrspondinglyincreas'e its amplitudeV oi vibration, and ysoon through as'i'msny valves as maybe desi-red. By this means it is possible to replace steam whistles or 'other signals by a series -fof 'two or three or more valves f operated upon one bythe other in order until the final resultant sound isr'nany times the v'olume of the original sound. For this purpose lthe chamber 4 of one instrument-such as sh'own in Fig.. 1 may be connected directly to the neck y43 of the next instrument, and 'the chamber 4 of the second instrument to the neel: 43 of the third instrument, and so ori, with, if need be, increasinglair pressure-in the casing l of each succeeding instrumeruz,y 4 v .It may vbenoted that the sum of the circumferences .of the ribs 41'6 'will be'great as compared with the dimensionsof the'yalves; consequently, when a high air pressure is used slight movements of the valves will make a. great change in the'amount of air which passes through Athe portsi nThere 'is thus produced a resultant sound rectly coactingtherewith'so that impulses telephonic- Iallyvreceiveg'l maybe converted by the action of the compressed air and the vaives', into sounds of greatly augmented'volume which may be emitted through the horn l3.and be distinctly audible to large audiences. if, in the structure. shown in Fig. `2, the telephonie a much `greater amplitude of vibration, and, consequently, a much'more pronounced record of the vsounds will be made, or, because -ofv'fhe greater force acting .upon the diaphragm of the reproducer, harder and more durable substances may be used for the recording iace of the record tablet.'

4Whilgel have described the valves as covering a cen- .tral opening 7 and one concentric opening outside of the same, which for vsome results is quite sufficient, or even the opening 7 alone might be used, still for other results a number lof concentric openings 5 and 6 may be necessary for the best effect. Also, the air pressure may be varied and the results obtained be correspondln Fig. 3 the structure is similar` 'tothat 'shown in Fig. l, except that the diaphragm 40 is replaced by an Y" l1 anumber of single elongated openings63 are shown arranged parallel to each other ina continuous series,

and in' Fig. l2 there is shown a number of elongated valves 64 connected by a bar 65 so as to match the openings 63. In Fig. 13 there is a central opening'66 and a circular series of openings 6 7 surrounding the same and equi-distant from the central opening, while' a number of disk valves`68 correspondingly mounted upon a spi- Ader 69 maybe opposed to these valve openings. It

will be understood,l of course, that the valves 62, 64 and 68 are connected together in pairs bythe rod 23 as in .the other iigures of the drawings. From this it will be ing `mechanisms may be \used in tandem, so that the seen that the invention is not limited-to any special type oi valve, but the valve systems may assume av great variety of forms in addition to those shown in the drawings. r

In order that the neck .i2 may be adapted to all the several structures intended to be carried thereby, it may be formed as shown in Fig. 7 wherein the inner surface of the outer end of this neck is tapered, as shown at 70, and receives a correspondingly socketed bell 7l having a continuation 72 which may carry the microphonic element 54, or the horn 13, or any other structure adapted to this portion of the machine.

In Fig. 8 is shown a somewhat different construction from that shown in Iiig. 7, wherein the neck l2 has an inner tapered wall 70 and a n outer tapered Wall 73. Engaging the tapered wall 70 is thebe'veled end oi a tube 74 which may constitute a portion of the microphone 54 or horn 13 or other part, while a sleeve 75 surrounding the tube 74 and secured thereto in anysuitable manner may have a tapered bell portion 76 receiving the tapered wall 73 of the end of the neck l2.

By means o the structures shown in Figs. 7 and 8, or some similar connection, the air valve structure may be adapted to receive interchangeably the microphonic element, or the horn, or a phonographc recorder, or, in fact, any acoustic element that may be adapted to the machine.

ln the drawings there has been noattempt made to show the" parts in accurate proportions, and it will be understood that the. proportions may be Varied from those shown in the drawings in accordance with the uses to which the instrument is to be put.

1. A sound-augmenting device comprising a conduit for fluid under pressure, two connected valves in said conduit for varying the flow of the fluid therethrough, one subjected to the iiuid pressure on one side and the other subjected to an equal duid pressure on the other side, and means for moving saidvalves to vary the flow of fluid through the conduit in accordance with sound-wave vibrations.

2. A sound-augmenting device comprising a suitable conduit for iiuid under pressure, annular ports in said conduit, annular valve seats surrounding said ports, annular, balanced valves in operativerelation to said valve seats, and means for moving said valves to and from the valve seats to vary the flow of fluid through the ports in accordance with sound-wave vibrations.

3. A sound-augmenting device comprising a two-part conduit for the passage of fluid under pressure,oppositely located ports constituting the means of communication from one part of the conduit to the other, two connected valves, one located in one part of the conduit and the other in the other part of the conduit in operative relation to the valve seats, and means for moving said valves in accordance with sound-wave vibrations.

4. A sound-augmenting device comprising a' conduit adapted to receive uid under pressure, another conduit interior to the mst-named conduit, annular ports between ,the two conduits, valve seats bordering said ports, one

set of seats extending into one conduit and the other set of seats extendinginto the other conduit, annular valves in operative relation to the valve seats, and means for operating said valves in unison to vary the iiow' oi.' iuld through the ports in accordance with soundwave vibrations.

5. A sound-augmenting devi/ce comprising a conduit for fluid under pressure, two connected valves in said conduit for varying the flow of the fluid therethrough and having opposed faces subjected to equaLfiuid pressure,'elastlc supports for the valves, and means for actuating said valves in accordance with sound wave'vibrations.

6. A sound-augmenting device comprising a conduit for uid under pressure, two connected valves invsaid conduit for varying the iiow of the fluid therethrough and having opposed faces subjected to equal tiuld pressure, elastic supports for the valves, and adjusting means for regulating the position of the valves.

7. A sound-augmenting device comprising a conduit for fiuid under pressure, balanced valve mechanism for con'-.

trolling the low of iiuid through the conduit, elastic supports for the valve mechanism, adjusting means con nccted to the vulve mechanism, said means'being elasticaily supported at one end and having-a screw adjustment at the other end, and means for actuating the valves in accordance with sound-wave vibrations.

81 In a sound-augmenting device, a two-part conduit for fluid under pressure, two connected valves having the same phase of movement and one located in one part of the conduit and the other in the other part of the conduit and subjected to the flow oi.' the fluid under pressure on opposite sides, a deflector in the part of the conduit receiving the duid from the other part of the conduit and located to divert the incoming iiuid away from the adjacent valve, v

and means for actuating the valve mechanism in accordance with sound-wave vibrations. l

9.- A means for reproducing recorded sounds comprising a conduit for uid under pressure, a balanced valve NATHANIEL BALDWIN.

Witnesses WM. WITT, JAMES WITT. 

